The zuccotto is a typical Tuscan semifreddo in the shape of a half sphere. With this recipe you will dive into two very sweet layers of ricotta, the first dipped in candied fruit and the other wrapped in the intense flavor of bitter cocoa and chocolate. To create a chocolate variant, try this Zuccotto with ricotta and black cherries, a real delight. Prepare your Zuccotto and bring it to the table to leave guests speechless when, in cutting it, they see the multi-layered and colorful interior!

Preparation

1

Recover a planetary mixer and add, in its bowl, the eggs together with the granulated sugar.

2

Operate the whisk and whip the ingredients, at high speed, for about 5/7 minutes.

3

In the meantime, preheat the oven in static mode to 175 °, and grease an oven pan with butter. In a bowl, sift the flour and then add it to the whipped mixture a little at a time.

4

Continue to pour the flour a little at a time and mix with a spatula, making movements from the bottom up to avoid disassembling the mixture.

5

Pour the cream obtained into the greased pan and place it in the oven, cooking it for about 25 minutes.

6

After this time, take the pan out of the oven and let it cool. With the help of a knife, cut the sponge cake thus obtained into slices 1 cm thick each.

7

To prepare the cream, take another bowl and sift the ricotta inside.

8

Also add the rum and granulated sugar.

9

Mix the ingredients well with a whisk.

10

Once you have obtained a smooth and homogeneous mixture, take ⅓ and place it in another bowl.

11

Add the unsweetened cocoa inside the latter and mix.

12

Finally add the dark chocolate flakes.

13

Recover the bowl with the remaining ricotta cream and pour the candied fruit into it. Mix well.

14

Pour the water into a container together with the alchermes to create the wet sponge cake.

15

Line a 20 cm diameter zuccotto mold with kitchen cling film.

16

Place a first layer of sponge cake slices; then add the white ricotta with candied fruit in its center.

17

Cover with a second layer of sponge cake. Wet the latter with the alcoholic syrup and add the cocoa ricotta cream.

18

Cover everything with a last layer of sponge cake and brush again with a little wet.

19

Wrap the mold completely with kitchen cling film and place it in the freezer for at least 6 hours.

20

After this time, remove the Zuccotto from the mold.

21

Place it on a serving dish and remove the film that wraps it.

22

Sprinkle with the remaining alchermes and sprinkle the surface with bitter cocoa. Store the Zuccotto in the refrigerator until serving time.

Accessories

• Bowl

• Spatula

• Planetary

• Baking tray 32 × 25 cm

• Sieve

• Knife

• Whip

• Kitchen film

• High-sided container

• Kitchen brush

• Platter

Tips and hints

• To save time, we suggest that you prepare the sponge cake the day before, so you will also avoid it from crumbling when you go to cut it into slices.

• Try an equally delicious variant: the Zuccotto with mascarpone. To prepare it, just melt some white chocolate together with the cream and then add the mascarpone to create a smooth and super delicious cream!

• If you do not have the characteristic mold you can use a common metal or glass bowl.

• If you don’t like the alcoholic version, try replacing the alchermes with orange juice and flavoring the cream with some Candied orange peels!

• Instead of candied fruit, how about adding a chopped dried fruit like the delicious pistachios?

storage

The Zuccotto can be stored in the refrigerator for a maximum of 3/4 days.

History

Lo Zuccotto is a dessert that has origins in the Florentine culinary tradition and more precisely in the Renaissance period, during one of the banquets of the Medici family. It was originally known as ‘Catherine’s helmet’ as the shape of this cake was inspired by that of the helmet used by the infantrymen: in Florence it was precisely called zuccotto.

There are many versions of this sponge cake-based dessert, but the ingredients of the original recipe included ricotta, cocoa grains and a little citrus peel for the cream inserted inside; a bath of external alchermes to give a touch of color.